Swarovski SLC 10X42, EL 10X32 or Leica Ultravid HD 8X42?

[norcan]

These are available locally and are similar in price (around £750).

They would certainly see some general hiking/outdoors use, but for me the main point of getting premium glass would be for hunting. All three have clearly been well-looked-after and condition is excellent; no optical or cosmetic flaws apparent whatsoever.

 

[norcan]

Or maybe both the 10x32 EL and the 8x42 Ultravid…?

 

[Steff]

Apples and pears.
What is you want? Low light performance, high mag or light weight?

 

[Cottis]

I use the Ultravid HD in 8 x 42 flavour. Do you really want 10 x magnification? If you spend lots of time looking at stuff with a view to sexing it or really assessing heads for example, I think you might prefer 10 x. Or similar if you use binos a lot on very open ground from a long way off but generally speaking, there is a reason why 8 x is the go to mag range.

Ignoring the 32mm objective (because they will not be as bright as the other two and you might as well get the most light gathering and the brightest view available without having to lug around some brick 56mm binos), you should pay attention to weight and ergonomics and how they suit you. How they feel in the hand etc.

The Leica for me are perfect. Right size and weight, easy to carry on a normal strap (I hate harnesses) Your milage might differ. Get them in your hand and you will immediately know which is better for you. I doubt there is anything between the two glass wise apart from personal tastes. Reviews will say the Leica are probably better in terms of colour and contrast and that the Swaro might be a touch brighter. I don't really believe either of those things. I think it is personal. I love the low hue and quiet calm view through the Leica. It is easy to use them for long periods of time. They are also a touch smaller and better in the hand than the Swaro (for me) The Swaro have a more vivid bright view to me. That does not mean they work longer in to dusk just that the image is brighter. My eyes find that more tiring.

The best looking view I ever looked at through any hunting optical equipment was a Leica Magnus scope. I think my eyes suit Leica glass.

 

[norcan]

@Steff
The more I consider it, more I want the light weight and high magnification of the ELs for covering open mountain terrain as well as the low-light performance of the Ultravid for the woods — and at that price, there’s no real risk in getting both.

@Cottis
The Leica are the most appealing to me overall, and I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and detailed thoughts about them; they really do seem lovely. I’m looking forward to trying them out myself shortly.

My only concern with them would be the lack of warranty compared to Swaro.

 

[norcan]

Couldn’t turn down the ELs at the price; buyers were lining up, so the decision had to be made quickly.

I carry 32s far more often than 42s anyway, so it’ll be great to have an upgraded version that can be easily resold without any loss. Plus one really nice thing about the 10x32 ELs is that they have a significantly-wider FoV than the 42-mm version.

Now it’s just a question of whether to add the Leica pair or wait for something else in 8x42…

 

[NickJ]

The 10x if you do any hill or open ground stalking, 8x if woodland only, IMHO

 

[norcan]

Couldn’t pass up those Ultravids, either.



It’s great to have a classic curved-field optical design to go with the modern flat-field ELs; lots to appreciate with both, and they don’t seem to step on each other’s toes very much.

No doubt the SLCs would have been great, too, but I’m really enjoying these for now.

 

[Irish Bob]

All things being equal I would go with one of the Swarovskis based purely on the lifetime warranty. I don’t think Leica offers this.

 

[norcan]

All things being equal I would go with one of the Swarovskis based purely on the lifetime warranty. I don’t think Leica offers this.

Got one of each, so I suppose I'll find out if/when the time comes.

In any case, I'm really blown away by the Ultravid's imaging; it's a very different and more three-dimensional experience than the EL's flat rendering, which makes it perfect for the closer ranges in the woods where it'll be primarily used. As the cliché goes, they really do make it feel like you can reach out and touch something.

Conversely, the EL's characteristics are great for scanning more-open terrain at distance, which is their intended purpose. Of course, the ten-power SLCs in 42 mm would be nice to have sometimes, too... I can see how this stuff can get addictive.